Justin BieberD.A. Tells Egging VictimSinger Should be Charged with FELONY

5/9/2014 1:48 AM PDT

The prosecutor who has been investigating the Justin Bieber egging case has told the victim ... "If this isn't felony vandalism, nothing is."

The neighbor tells TMZ ... the deputy D.A. in the Van Nuys office that was assigned the case called Justin's former Calabasas neighbor last week, and made his view clear ... a mere misdemeanor charge would be outrageous. We're told the deputy said, "If we don't charge him with a felony we ruin precedent for every other felony case we want to charge."

TMZ broke the story, Justin allegedly egged the neighbor's house in January. We posted a video in which you hear the singer goading the neighbor in the middle of the attack. We also reported cops have surveillance videoclearly showing Justin smack in the middle of the scene at the time of the egging.

The neighbor and his 13-year-old daughter say they were face-to-face with Bieber during the attack, and saw him clearly. The neighbor has submitted bills totaling $20K to repairthe damage.

The case has dragged on for months. We're told the deputy D.A. told the neighbor the file has now been sent downtown where it's being reviewed "at the highest level." We're assuming D.A. Jackie Lacey herself will make the final call.

Sources say the office has been split over whether to charge Bieber with a misdemeanor or a felony, but the guy who handled the case has a clear view ... it's a FELONY.